The postseason storm is coming, and itap fair to ask if the Nuggets are ready.
The Nuggets weathered a pressure-packed fourth quarter Wednesday night at the against a lottery-bound Minnesota team, winning 99-95, and managed to secure the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed despite trailing by 11 points with 4:01 remaining. From there, the Nuggets weaved a furious rally of defensive stops and clutch 3-pointers, ultimately closing on a 15-0 run.
They’ll face the No. 7-seeded in the first round of the playoffs in hopes of their first playoff series victory in a decade. That series will open Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.
“I thought it was a collective effort,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “I think all the guys on the floor contributed to it. … Nikola (Jokic) made some big plays, Paul Millsap, Gary (Harris), Jamal (Murray), all five of those guys were a big part of that 15-0 run.”
But for more than 3 1/2 quarters, the Nuggets looked disinterested in securing the benefits of home-court advantage throughout the first two rounds.
started the last-ditch rally with a 3-pointer from the corner to cut the deficit to 95-89. Next, drilled a 3-pointer from the wing to hack Minnesota’s lead to 95-93.
On fan appreciation night, the Pepsi Center finally woke up.
Finally, thanks to Millsap’s hustle in collecting a crucial offensive rebound, let another triple fly, and the Nuggets had their lead. Minnesota managed just 16 total points in the fourth quarter as the rally brewed.
, who finished with a game-high 29 points and 14 rebounds, put the Nuggets over the edge with game-sealing free throws.
The third quarter didn’t bring much relief as the Nuggets searched for an offensive spark and the Timberwolves continued their torrid 3-point shooting. Minnesota drilled five triples in the third quarter alone to open up a 79-73 lead in front of a stunned crowd. Playing without Karl-Anthony Towns, the Timberwolves held a slim lead thanks to 13-of-32 from outside.
“We weren’t expecting them to hit the way they were hitting,” Murray said. “Everything. (Andrew) Wiggins was hitting. ICameron) Reynolds was hitting. (Gorgui) Dieng was hitting. (C.J.) Williams was hitting.”
Given that Oklahoma City and San Antonio both won their respective games prior to Wednesday’s late tip, the Nuggets had most of the relevant information pertaining to their playoff path. A win meant a matchup against No. 7 San Antonio, while a loss meant a date with No. 6 Oklahoma City.
The Nuggets won all four matchups against the Thunder this year and went 2-2 against the Spurs.
“You know, a lot is being made of (our seed),” Malone said before the game. “Obviously if you can finish the Western Conference season as a No. 2 seed, thatap a (great) accomplishment, especially for a team as young as we are and being outside looking in last year and all the injuries.”
But Malone also noted that there’s been plenty of chatter surrounding who the Nuggets could potentially face in the second round, which would be an oversight for a team that hasn’t been to the playoffs in six years.
“I think people are forgetting that we have a first-round opponent we have to worry about and everybody is worried about, you know, we are avoiding this team,” he said. “Thatap disrespectful to the Clippers, to OKC and or San Antonio. We’ll see what happens tonight, but being able to finish two in the west would be a (great) accomplishment.”
Denver entered Wednesday searching for some momentum heading into its regular-season finale. The Nuggets had lost six of their previous 10 games, and their offensive efficiencies had sagged dramatically from what they’d been throughout most of the season.
With several days before the playoffs start, the Nuggets might benefit from clarity and the opportunity to hit the practice court.
“Letap be honest. How many playoff games do we have as a team?” Malone said. “Not many. So, whether we finish No. 2 or No. 3, if you have a playoff lull, there’s something wrong with your team. There’s got to be urgency, there’s got to be desperation. There has to be understanding that every possession in the playoffs matters. Thatap what I expect from our team. … I think our guys understand what we’re about to face.”
Only veterans Millsap, and Barton possess any real playoff experience.
Coming off of Tuesday’s loss at Utah, the Nuggets came out somewhat sluggish but held a 51-50 lead at halftime. Denver got 15 points from an aggressive Jokic and 10 points and five rebounds from Murray, who nailed a late jumper to end the second quarter.
The Timberwolves hung around with six 3-pointers and an impressive half from Wiggins.
